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TV Guide sold for a dollar

by Bob Sassone, posted Oct 16th 2008 1:04PM
TV GuideMonths ago I suggested that all of TV Squad's writers and readers should pool their money and buy TV Guide. Turns out that if we had done that we would have paid too much money. The magazine just sold for $1.00.

That's not a typo, and I'm not talking about the cover price being reduced. TV Guide itself was actually bought from Macrovision this week for $1.00.

A company called OpenGate Capital bought the iconic magazine with their pocket change but will, of course, put millions into the magazine to keep it going (and those millions are coming via a loan from Macrovision!). Personally, I think the first thing they should do is make it a small size again. Come on, that's what people loved about TV Guide. It was a different size than most magazines (besides Reader's Digest and some sci-fi/mystery mags), and as Seinfeld said, it was the magazine you didn't pass to someone you threw it to them.

To me, it's now just another entertainment magazine. Let's hope the new owners do something special with it.

Should TV Guide be small or big?
I like the old small size!427 (54.5%)
Keep it big!81 (10.3%)
I haven't read TV Guide in five years.276 (35.2%)

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C.A.

I would have easily paid $2 to take over the publication.

October 18 2008 at 10:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tingrin87

my newspaper (Charlotte Observer) prints a weekly guide... last time i pulled it out of the pile of ads, it was a small size, probably 1/2 the size of a folded paper. we don't even keep that; the digital cable onscreen guide is easier to navigate, has plot notes, and guest stars.
i think that's why TVguide is failing.

October 17 2008 at 10:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Judy

I will stop buying it if goes back to the small size. That's one reason why I subscribed in the first place; that, and all the interesting articles. When I heard it was going under and that one or more of the writers was moving to EW, I subscribed to THAT magazine. I'm so glad someone is coming to the rescue.

Another poster had it right, there are so many different channels and providers, it's hard to get a one-size-fits all set of listings.

Hey guys, I READ the first TV Guide when it came out, so you can't tell me that an old dog can't be taught new tricks. :-)

October 17 2008 at 1:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tracy

I liked the small size, but have to admit I started reading it online and cancelled my subscription more than six years ago. Most of what I want to find out about is online either at TV Guide online or other Entertainment sites.
Out of curiosity though, I wonder if this purchase has to do with the annoying new setup at tvguide.com. They changed everything this week, and it is really annoying. I liked it better before. I won't be spending as much time there.

October 17 2008 at 12:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Will

I pretty much agree with Europa,et al., who've said we haven't bought it in years (or, at least, very rarely). I've bought it 2 or 3 times since the size change & I really hate the big size, small was better! And the ones I did buy lacked at lot of listings, for example on stations like TNT or USA for late night, they'd put "Various Programming"! Well, hell, I don't need to buy "The Guide" to know that! I actually stopped buying it when it got to over a dollar an issue & that was some time back before the size change. It's very difficult for me to pay $2-3 for something that was a quarter when I started buying it, unless I can't live without it (like, say, gasoline). Thanks to the internet, Tv guide is not a necessity any longer.

October 17 2008 at 4:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Donna

If the TV were back the way it used to be many years ago -- a television show guide and not an entertainment magazine -- I'd go back to it even with the internet.

But I hate the way TV Guide is now. I haven't read it in ages (probably way more than 5 years). I only got TV Guide for the local TV listings back in the day, but nowadays I can get that in any newspaper or on the internet.

If TV Guide wants me, go back to the way it was, say, 20 years ago!

October 16 2008 at 9:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mike

Back when it had complete episode briefs, cast listings and release dates, it was a useful magazine. Then they started doing things like getting rid of the daytime listings and getting rid of the details of the shows. At that point it was no better than the listing in the back of the newspaper. Bring back real show details and it will be worth subscribing to again.

October 16 2008 at 8:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
leah

If tvguide goes back to the old size, I'll cancel my subscription.

October 16 2008 at 4:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John Stewart

I didn't like the big size at first, but now I quite enjoy it. I read TV Guide for the articles, not the listings. With digital cable and on-screen menus printed TV listing are practically obscelete.

October 16 2008 at 3:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
LC

I used to buy it specifically for the listings back in the day and the digest size was perfect for a side or coffee table. Today I really have no use for it. Program guides on digital cable, fiber and satellite pretty much left TV guide relevant only to analog viewers or those who actually like the articles.

October 16 2008 at 3:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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